Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is one of the greatest examples of an M1917 “Knuckle Duster” we have offered, with carvings on the knife attributing it to the Aisne-Marne Offensive, with MARNE 7/18 carved into the side of the handle. The majority of these knives are without any specific context for unit or battle, but this one has a tremendous amount of research potential.

Another side of the grip is very faintly carved FRANCE .. .. 1463? This carving requires a great deal of effort to decipher, as it could be a unit marking, part of a serial number, or something else. The 3rd side of the grip also has a very very faint carving, the only bit left of which appears to be an arrow pointing upwards followed by H. The only Divisions to participate in the Aisne-Marne Offensive on the date 7/18/1918 were the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 26th, and 28th.

The top of the guard is is nicely marked:

U.S.
L.F. & C.
1917

Landers, Frary, and Clark (L.F. & C.) began in 1853 as Landers & Smith Manufacturing Company, and in 1862 became known as Landers, Frary & Clark. They were in New Britain, Connecticut, and made a number of household items, as well as items for the military. They closed their doors in 1965.

This example has some pitting across the knuckles and guard, the blade being in great condition, with about 75% of the original finish. The wood grip is still in great shape with the carvings adding a great deal of character. The scabbard has some oxidation spotting and loose fittings, but is well marked JEWELL-1918.

This is one of the greatest Knuckle dusters we have ever offered, with the guarantee of having been issued to an early-arriving division that saw combat in one of the earlier offensives of the AEF’s involvement. We haven’t had one with such carvings before, and we likely won’t again. Don’t miss out. Comes ready for further research and display.

Dimensions:
Blade length: 9”
Overall length: 14”
Scabbard length: 9 7/8"
Handguard: 4 1/2”x 5”

The first official U.S. trench knife adopted for service issue was the U.S. M1917 trench knife designed by Henry Disston & Sons, and based on examples of trench knives then in service with the French Army. The M1917 featured a triangular stiletto blade, wooden grip, metal knuckle guard, and a rounded pommel. The M1917 proved unsatisfactory in service, and a slightly improved version, the M1918, was adopted within months. Despite this, the M1918 is almost identical to the M1917, differing primarily in the construction and appearance of the knuckle guard. Usable only as stabbing weapons, the M1917 and M1918 frequently suffered broken blades. Their limited utility and general unpopularity caused the AEF to empanel a testing board in 1918 to test various trench knives and select a replacement.